Two Play Singles
by Phoenix Boy
Summary: Ryuzaki decides that it's time to do doubles training. Mandatory doubles training, including Tezuka and Echizen. Together.


-1"Today is doubles practice for everyone" Ryuzaki announced and watched the ensuing reactions. Doubles was something of a touchy subject at Seigaku sometimes, particularly since she intended to mix up their usual pairings. It never hurt to be prepared for unexpected combinations. Besides, with Kawamura off sick, they happened to have the perfect number of regulars.

As expected, Eiji and Oishi were grinning at each other. Too bad she was going to split them up - they were an indisputably talented pair and there honestly wasn't another pair who could give them a good game here. Momoshiro was also looking quite happy about it.

Fuji was beaming at her. She wasn't quite sure if this was because he was genuinely looking forward to it, because he was looking forward to the ensuing chaos that resulted from putting Echizen in a doubles game or because he had somehow figured out how she was going to pair them up.

Much to her amusement, Kaidoh was edging slowly but surely away from Momoshiro and towards Inui. She had though he knew better than to believe that it would make any kind of difference to her plans.

The final two regulars were very clearly less than impressed. Echizen was scowling at her from under his cap. Well, that was expected - sulky was almost a default expression for him. Tezuka, on the other hand, was looking very much as though he would love to let his guard down enough to scowl. As it was, he was levelling a very flat look at the roof of the school and seemed to be attempting to convince himself that this was nothing to do with him. She couldn't help but be amused.

"Non-regulars, you're playing a mini-tournament, pairings and match orders are on the training board by A court. Regulars, you have courts C and D. On C, Fuji-Kikumaru pair against the Kaidoh-Inui pair."

"Alright! Come on Fujiko," Eiji exclaimed. Fuji allowed himself to be towed away, though from the quiet chuckle she heard, he had obviously worked out what that meant for the remaining players. She was reminded that some of the third years had seen Tezuka's last attempt at doubles, over a year ago now.

"On D Court, Oishi-Momoshiro pair against the Tezkua-Echizen pair."

Oishi looked horrified at that and since he had been perfectly happy to play with Momo in the past, it wasn't because of his partner. Tezuka and Echizen were looking at each other warily. Tezuka, at least, knew that Echizen wasn't a doubles player in any sense of the word. Echizen couldn't claim similar knowledge but must certainly have deduced something from the way Tezuka had never been placed in doubles before, in training or matches.

Tezuka turned and walked to the court in silence, Echizen trailing along behind him. At first glance, it appeared that they knew what they were doing, certainly the positions they'd taken on court were standard doubles ones.

"Ready, Echizen?"

"Yes."

Tezuka required no other warning; he was already serving, the ball flying straight down the centre of the court to land perfectly on the edge of the service box. Oishi didn't even have a chance to react. Tezuka inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. If they could keep this up, maybe he wouldn't have to actually embarrass himself attempting to play doubles.

Another two aces.

"40-0!" the second year referee called.

Their luck couldn't hold. Momo sent the final serve flying back at them with a grunt of effort and a fierce smile on his face. It appeared that he was getting fired up - just what Tezuka needed at this point.

It wasn't that the return was a difficult one to reach - Tezuka himself was onto it within seconds - the problem was Echizen's lack of movement to cover the rest of the court. As such, Oishi sent the ball sailing into the back corner, Echizen charging after it in a rather belated attempt at recovery.

Teuzka sighed. It appeared that Echizen hadn't learned any more doubles after his match in the districts.

"You can't play doubles like that, Ryoma, you simply can't," Momo teased, prompting Echizen to pull his hat lower over his eyes.

Tezuka felt an entirely inappropriate amount of satisfaction when he served an ace to take the game.

He knew, however, that the next game wouldn't be so easy to dominate. It was Oishi's serve and while he didn't have the fastest serve, it was good enough to get a rally going. Once that happened, it was inevitable really that the experienced pair would expose the gaping holes in their teamwork. After all, Oishi and Momo were national level doubles players, if not regular partners.

They lost that game to love.

Tezuka glanced down at Echizen. Echizen glared back at him, daring him to say something. Tezuka sighed: it wasn't exactly what Ryuzaki-sensei had had in mind but was the only way the two of them stood any chance.

"Echizen, we're splitting the court."

The peak of Echizen's hat came up slightly. Tezuka wished he could see Echizen's eyes - it would make life much easier. He thought this was probably a good sign.

"Half court singles?"

"Aa."

With that, the game resumed. Tezuka, unlike Momoshiro, didn't require a line drawn on the court to know where the centre was but the principle was much the same. They were two of the strongest singles players in Japan - unsurprisingly, they started to hold their own again.

They held Echizen's service game. Halfway through Momoshiro's service game, Echizen watched the ball fly down the centre of the court and turned to look at his partner, racket resting on his shoulder.

"That's cheating, buchou."

"Hm?"

"That last ball was mine!"

"It was clearly on my side of the court," Tezuka observed. It was important always to remain calm when dealing with impatient juniors.

"It would clearly have been mine if you weren't using the Zone!" Echizen replied indignantly.

Tezuka felt a moment of amusement as he inwardly acknowledged the truth of Echizen's statement. However, it was not appropriate for him, as captain, to back down in the middle of practice.

"I am playing my usual game, Echizen. I suggest you do the same."

Echizen grunted and gave a chuckling Momoshiro what must have been a withering look as they resumed the game.

A few points later, Tezuka watched with grim admiration as the ball - clearly heading straight towards him - swerved off into the opposite half of the court. After they won the point, he raised an eyebrow at Echizen, the only acknowledgement he was prepared to offer. Echizen tugged at his cap again but Tezuka was fairly sure he was smug rather than sulking this time.

"Mada mada dane," he said, though whether he was addressing it to his captain or to their opponents, Tezuka couldn't tell.

They won the next two games as well.

"Tezuka! Echizen! What exactly are you doing?"

Tezuka winced slightly at Ryuzaki's voice and decidedly to let Echizen handle the talking.

"Winning," came the blunt answer. He supposed that was the best he could hope for from Echizen.

"Had it escaped your notice that this was doubles training? Enough! Both of you, twenty laps. Oishi, Momoshiro, get working on your serves."

Tezuka put his racket down on the bench and started jogging. This was exactly what he'd been hoping Echizen would manage - he'd choose laps over doubles practice any day and twenty was scarcely even a warm up, let alone a challenge.

"Better than last time, ne Tezuka?"

Tezuka pointedly ignored Fuji's laughing voice as he jogged past their court. Still, at least he hadn't completely humiliated himself this time.

"Buchou?"

"Aa?"

"Do you think she'd notice if we ran thirty?"

Tezuka thought about it. Echizen might actually be onto something there. Unwilling to sanction such a thing out loud, he didn't reply to that and just kept running, Echizen keeping easily at his shoulder.


End file.
